Current:Home > FinanceDid 'Wheel of Fortune' player get cheated out of $40,000? Contestant reveals what she said -Secure Horizon Growth
Did 'Wheel of Fortune' player get cheated out of $40,000? Contestant reveals what she said
PredictIQ Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-10 17:01:51
She'd like to solve the mystery.
Some "Wheel of Fortune" fans became convinced this week that a player was cheated out of $40,000 after being ruled incorrect despite giving the right answer during the bonus round. Now, the contestant herself has weighed in.
The category in the bonus round was "living thing," but contestant Megan Carvale didn't quite come up with the answer, "pink orchid," in time. Or did she?
In what quickly became the game show equivalent of "the dress" debate, some viewers argued that Carvale did say "pink orchid" as her first guess, yet she was not ruled correct. She proceeded to wrongly guess "pony orchid" just before time ran out. "You might have been overthinking thinking of a type of orchid," host Pat Sajak suggested. Had she given the right answer, Carvale would have won $40,000.
"I'm sorry, did she NOT say Pink Orchid the first time? Or am I tripping," one user on X, formerly Twitter, asked.
"There is no question, she absolutely said 'pink orchid,'" another fan wrote. "Please give this girl her winnings!"
Others argued that Carvale said "something orchid," not "pink orchid." So Carvale appeared Thursday on "Good Morning America" to put the debate to rest and reveal what she really said.
"You know, I wish I said pink, because I would have been $40,000 richer," she said. "But I said 'something.'"
This came as a surprise to "Good Morning America" hosts Michael Strahan and Robin Roberts, both of whom thought Carvale said pink after watching the clip.
Pat Sajakstunned by 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant's retirement poem: 'I'm leaving?'
The debate could have something to do with the volume at which fans watched the original segment. Prior to Carvale's explanation, when the clip was uploaded to YouTube, many commenters agreed she said "something."
"On low volume it sounds like pink orchid but on high volume it's definitely 'something orchid,'" one YouTube comment said, while others pointed out that Carvale likely would have objected in the moment had she given the right answer.
New 'Wheel of Fortune' hostRyan Seacrest worries about matching Pat Sajak's quickness
Carvale admitted on "GMA" she was "so bummed" to have not won the bonus round, and the viral debate over her answer forced her to relive the loss. But despite not taking home the $40,000 bonus prize, Carvale still won $14,007 and a trip to Aruba on the show, and she found another way to see the bright side of the situation.
"You know what, at least it's positive attention," she told "GMA." "It could have been people making fun of me that I didn't get it right."
veryGood! (25348)
Related
- Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
- Saints stun Cowboys, snap NFL's longest active regular-season home win streak
- Tropical storm warning is issued for parts of the Carolinas
- Police: 4 killed after multi-vehicle crash in southeast Dallas
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- Prince Harry is marking a midlife milestone far from family
- 2024 Emmys: Selena Gomez Brings Boyfriend Benny Blanco as Her Date
- Authorities arrest a relative of the King of Jordan and 3 others for $1M insider-trading plot
- At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
- D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai arrives at the Emmys with powerful statement honoring missing Indigenous women
Ranking
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- Detroit police chief after Sunday shootings: 'Tailgating, drinking and guns, they don't mix'
- Canelo Alvarez wins unanimous decision in dominating title defense against Edgar Berlanga
- Dance Mom's Abby Lee Miller Makes Surprising Appearance at 2024 Emmys
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- 2024 Emmys: Baby Reindeer's Nava Mau Details Need for Transgender Representation in Tearful Interview
- Who plays on Sunday Night Football? Breaking down Week 2 matchup
- Did Selena Gomez Debut Engagement Ring at the 2024 Emmys? Here's the Truth
Recommendation
Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
Profiles in clean energy: She founded a business to keep EV charging stations up and running
2024 Emmys: Jennifer Aniston Debuts Shocking Fashion Switch Up on the Red Carpet
Americans end drought, capture 2024 Solheim Cup for first win in 7 years
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
Five reasons Dolphins' future looks grim if Tua Tagovailoa leaves picture after concussion
2024 Emmys: Lamorne Morris Swears He Knows Where Babies Come From—And No, It's Not From the Butt
Four Downs and a Bracket: Billy Napier era at Florida nears end with boosters ready to pay buyout